This is an anglicised form of the Olde Scots Gaelic name MacCullaich or MacCullach. The Gaelic prefix "Mac" indicates "son of" plus the personal nickname "cullach" meaning "boar". The surname is first recorded in Scotland at the end of the 13th century, (see below). One Sir Patrick McCoulagh was a charter witness in Galloway in 1354, his name was spelt Macologh in 1360. The developement of the name includes the spellings Makcoulach (1478) and Micullocht (1556). In 1684 "Parish lists of Wigtownshire and Minnigaff" the variant spellings McColloch, McCully etc. are recorded. The name is also found in Ulster as Maccullach, Mccully etc.. Here it is believed to derive from Mac Con Uladh ("son of the hound of Ulster"). The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Thomas Maculagh rendered homage which was dated 1296 - Records of Wigtonshire during the reign of King John Ballial of Scotland 1292 - 1296 Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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